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OH Senate Passes Bill Banning Human-Animal Hybrids

An anonymous reader writes "The sci-fi movie Splice seems to have scared the Ohio's State Senator Steve Buehrer. The Ohio Senate has passed Sen. Buehrer's bill banning 'the creation, transportation, or receipt of a human-animal hybrid, the transfer of a nonhuman embryo into a human womb, and the transfer of a human embryo into a nonhuman womb.' So much for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

31 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Laws against science-fiction are stupid. by uncoveror · · Score: 4, Funny

    While they are at it, why not ban cloaking devices and disruptors.

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    1. Re:Laws against science-fiction are stupid. by 2obvious4u · · Score: 4, Informative

      Too bad its not science fiction. I personally know a group of scientists that create rabbit human embryos. Also there has been a lot of research in growing human organs in pigs". So we are already producing animal-human hybrids. Hell we even grow human ears on mice.

    2. Re:Laws against science-fiction are stupid. by gestalt_n_pepper · · Score: 5, Funny

      That just makes me hopping mad!

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    3. Re:Laws against science-fiction are stupid. by d3ac0n · · Score: 4, Funny

      Forget the Rabit-human hybrids. What about the Catgirls?

      NOOOOOOO!

      ;)

      (Sorry I just couldn't help myself)

      --
      Official Heretic from the "Church of Global Warming". Proven right thanks to whistle blowers. AGW = Flat Earth Theory
    4. Re:Laws against science-fiction are stupid. by timeOday · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I guess it just goes to show how quickly a field is progressing when 2/3 of the comments on a slashdot story ignorantly assume it's still science fiction and couldn't possibly require legislation. However, I hope this is defined very carefully not to preclude important medical research. Growing a human ear on a mouse, for example, might seem like a gross waste of time, but perhaps not if you're a soldier whose soft tissue was burned off by an IED. (That image is from way back in 1997 BTW).

    5. Re:Laws against science-fiction are stupid. by ElectricTurtle · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's not up to you? You don't live in a democracy? You don't vote?

      It is incredibly important to establish whether something is wrong before you start banning it, otherwise you'll be on a bullet train to tyranny.

      If you are being truthful when you say you're 'not in a position intellectually to say what is or is not best for society' please stop voting immediately if you haven't already. We have enough people who don't know anything about history or anything about ethics changing the course of political events based on knee-jerk ideology at best and their opinion of who is more visually attractive at worst that we don't need people who could otherwise self-select themselves out adding to the problem.

      I had a history professor of whom I was quite fond say once that he hated democracy because he knew that his well-informed, well-reasoned choice could be blotted out in a second by the near-random opinion of his cretinous neighbor. The older I get and the more I read the more inclined I am to agree.

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    6. Re:Laws against science-fiction are stupid. by StikyPad · · Score: 4, Funny

      Catgirls: because putting up with the cattiness of real girls just isn't enough, we added allergies to the mix.

      Worst. Idea. Ever.

    7. Re:Laws against science-fiction are stupid. by DinDaddy · · Score: 4, Funny

      Should we have all laws passed by multiple Ph.D holders in selected fields who have little to no sense of humanity, only cold logic and rationale?

      Yes, scientists and other well educated people are inhumane, coldly logical killing machines. Mark well your fear. We are coming for you.

  2. No Cowabunga for you! by xystren · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Perhaps he should be watching V from the early 1980's and then he would have reason to be scared.

  3. transplants? by Scribbler'sEmporium · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No pig heart valves for you then when your own stops working.

    1. Re:transplants? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      From TFB:

              (1) "Human-animal hybrid" means any of the following:

              (a) A human embryo into which a nonhuman cell or a component of a nonhuman cell is introduced so that it is uncertain whether the human embryo is a member of the species homo sapiens;

              (b) A hybrid human-animal embryo produced by fertilizing a human egg with a nonhuman sperm;

              (c) A hybrid human-animal embryo produced by fertilizing a nonhuman egg with a human sperm;

              (d) An embryo produced by introducing a nonhuman nucleus into a human egg;

              (e) An embryo produced by introducing a human nucleus into a nonhuman egg;

              (f) An embryo containing at least haploid sets of chromosomes from both a human and a nonhuman life form;

              (g) A nonhuman life form engineered with the intention of generating functional human gametes within the body of a nonhuman life form;

              (h) A nonhuman life form engineered such that it contains a human brain or a brain derived wholly from human neural tissues.

      A human with a pig heart valve would not meet any of those qualifications.

  4. Would.. by malkavian · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Having a pig's valve in the heart count as a hybrid? What about anyone born elsewhere who's had animal genome spliced into them to give advantageous traits in the future?
    Silly..

  5. In a more serious direction.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What about the use of animals to grow human organs such as ears, hearts, limbs... to replace those lost due to accident, or birth defect?

    also, captcha win: "extras"

    1. Re:In a more serious direction.. by garyisabusyguy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I agree with you, this is far from a 'silly' law that has no real impact. This is in fact a completely misguided fear-driven law that will eliminate research into a promising technology because of some poorly defined moral yuck-factor.

      Kinda like the eight year delay in embryonic stem cell research, but that has got to make some voting group pretty happy. I just can't wait to see if their opinion changes when they are on an organ donor waiting list.

      --
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  6. Re:Here comes the boycott by Pojut · · Score: 5, Informative

    Anyone know why you screw a sheep on the edge of a cliff?

    Makes the sheep push back harder.

  7. Re:Public spending by Xveers · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Because it presents the appearance of doing something to "protect the children" while not actually having to -implement- anything. It's warm conservative-feel-good legislatural mush.

  8. it's not science fiction. by retchdog · · Score: 2, Informative

    Whether you agree with the bill or not, it will have an effect:

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/01/0125_050125_chimeras.html; link from wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimera_(genetics)

    The rabbit/human embryo mentioned there falls under 3701.95.A.1.e. of the bill: "an embryo produced by introducing a human nucleus into a nonhuman egg".

    --
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  9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? by kalirion · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So much for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

    The ninja turtles were mutants, not hybrids!

  10. !TMNT by uncledrax · · Score: 2, Informative

    Weren't the TMNT caused by an accident (radioactive spill from a truck) anyway?

    Unless this law also prohibits the transportation of mutantigenic compounds, then it wouldn't outlaw a legally produced TMNT.

    I was under the impression that the spill was due to an illegal cargo anyway, so realistically, a law wouldn't do much anyway.

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  11. not so simple... by martyb · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Sounds pretty simple at first; but what about transplants?

    For example, would this ban using a pig's heart valve from being transplanted into a person?  I had a family member who had this done!

    Where do you draw the line? A whole heart?  A heart AND a liver AND a lung?

    Who decides where the line is?  And what's to keep the line from moving?  And do we even want to keep it from moving?

    I can think of arguments for all of these.

  12. Re:Ban Sci-Fi by jgagnon · · Score: 4, Funny

    What prevents a gene-splicer from creating, transporting, or receiving a human-animal hybrid in neighboring Michigan?

    Nothing... but figuring out which are hybrids and which are "normal Michigan residents" could be a problem... ;)

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  13. Be open minded by abbynormal+brain · · Score: 2, Funny

    What guy wouldn't want a horses dick? Yeah - you would limit who you can date but talk about a show stopper at a meeting when you whip it out and slap it on the table when you don't have an answer.

    --
    L'esperienza de questa dolce vita (The experience of this sweet life) - Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
  14. No clear definition of human by Lvdata · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The law does not define what is human, other then by the generic description of "homo sapiens" How about a fully artificial set of chromosomes from a computer database created in a lab? Without a VERY clear definition of human, that we currently don't have, these type of laws are useless. Is someone with downs syndrome human? they have a extra whole chromosome. How about someone who gets infected with a retrovirus. They now have a mix of human and virus DNA. How about people who are XXY, XXYY, XYY or other sexual genetic abnormalities? We share a LARGE portion of our DNA with everything from monkeys, dogs, mice, insects and even flowers. First define "Human", and by then many humans will be mixed with "animals" to make the laws worthless and conflict with the bill of rights along with many other laws. People, mostly the very religious, just don't want the understanding that "human" is just another kind of specialized animal.

  15. One question by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...prohibits...the transfer of a nonhuman embryo into a human womb...

    Does this include baby Jesus?



    just askin'

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  16. Before chuckling and writing off the idea... by TrentTheThief · · Score: 2, Insightful

    While it is probably not yet possible to create a breeding animal-human hybrid, the idea should be considered seriously. There are numerous implications for society as a whole. Would such a person be treated a sub-class without rights? What purpose would they have?

    Science fiction writers, as is the norm, have dealt with such issues for many years, exploring various outcomes, both good and bad.

    I suggest for your edification:

    Human/animal hybrids created for combat - what happens after the war?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreau_series

    Gene-modified humans designed for work in zero gravity (four arms and no legs)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorkosigan_Saga#Falling_Free

    Gene-modified humans designed to work on very high gravity worlds.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Pirates_Series

    Yes, the stories are science fiction. However, science fiction isn't just test tubes and electronics. It is the interaction of people in a futuristic environment. Consider the fact that 30 years ago, no one thought it would be possible to create a replicating cell from scratch. 60 years ago, the double helix of DNA was unknown.

    What is science fiction now, might be reality next week.

  17. humatoes by cluemore · · Score: 3, Insightful
    ... leaving the door wide open for human-vegetable hybrids.

    the law seems to forbid human hybrids with other mammals. That leaves a huge area of potential nobel prize research for human hybrids with funguses, reptiles, invertebrates (bugs, jellyfish, worms) and plants, without even having to put out the call through seti for extraterrestrial volunteers.

    this cups not half empty, it's half full!

  18. Re:Here comes the boycott by d3ac0n · · Score: 3, Funny

    A traveling salesman was driving along a country road.
    As he passed a sheep farm he saw a man out in the field with his trousers down having sex with one of the sheep.
    Shocked, he pulled into the farm driveway, walked up to the farmhouse and knocked on the door.
    A beautiful young woman answered the and asked if she could help him.
    The salesman told the young lady "I don't mean to shock you, but there is a man out in your field doing inappropriate things to your sheep!"
    The young lady sighed, rolled her very large brown eyes and said;
    "Oh, that's just D-a-a-a-a-a-a-ddy." :)

    --
    Official Heretic from the "Church of Global Warming". Proven right thanks to whistle blowers. AGW = Flat Earth Theory
  19. Re:But, but, but! by camperdave · · Score: 2, Funny

    But, but, but! Can we still develop monkeys with three asses?

    Sadly, we still have to have politicians and lawyers.

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    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  20. ManBearPig - illegal by Petron · · Score: 2, Informative

    Victory for Al Gore!

    I'm super serial!

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  21. They're not the only ones by greenreaper · · Score: 3, Informative

    Arizona is working on it as well - the bill is supported by the Bioethics Defense Fund, the Arizona Catholic Conference, and members of the 40 Days for Life Campaign.

  22. Re:Good for them by geekoid · · Score: 2, Informative

    You need to stop letting science fiction dictate your thoughts.

    How about a cow that can grow an extra heart for humans? A goat the produces human bone marrow?

    There are thousands of good uses for this, but you let you belief take you scientist creating a bunch of freaks,.

    You are narrow minded, blinded by faith and part of the problem.

    This technology has a real good chance to help people. Don't you DARE try to take the moral high ground in preventing medical research that can save lives. You are a small, mean, and evil person who would rather people died horrible deaths then toss a few genes and create a cheap treatment or cure for diseases.

    You are a wast of human space that clings to some ideology that hasn't been needed for 100 or more years.

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